Boss Women: An Interview With Gina Martin

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This International Women’s Day, we want to tell the stories of the #BossWomen who inspire us here at GG HQ. And who better to start with than Gina Martin? Gina is 27 from Liverpool and successfully made upskirting illegal in England and Wales after experiencing it first-hand at a festival. We sat down with Gina to discuss all things International Women’s Day!

What is your current role and what do you do day-to-day?

I’m a writer and activist. After 18 months of campaigning I just changed the law in England and Wales to make non-consensual upskirt photos illegal, and I’m currently writing a book called BE THE CHANGE: A toolkit for Activism which is a handbook that helps you start pushing for change at any level.

If you could tell your younger self something 5 years ago, what would it be?

Don’t shrink yourself, be passionate and enthusiastic because it gets you everywhere and anywhere.

What would your ultimate superpower be?

Teleportation: the amount of time I waste getting places is mad. I’m always late, always stressed and I’d love to be able to just transport myself to the Andes for a quick sit sometimes during mad days, or to Paris for dinner. Joy!

Why is international women’s day important?

It ignites dialogue and is a catalyst for discussion. It asks us to look back at the past twelve months and celebrate the progress – something that’s critical if we are to stay hopeful and motivated to keep pushing for a society that doesn’t protect oppressors, normalise assault and brush our rights under the carpet – and it asks us to question what we haven’t done enough of, what we haven’t given more thought to and what we should be prioritising.

How would you describe your perfect female archetype?

I don’t think there is the perfect female archetype. I think the only way to create a more equal society is to get rid of the idea of a perfect female archetype.

What is one of the hardest things women face today or that you have personally faced being a woman?

The list of challenges women across the world face is endless and heartbreaking, and my personal struggles, although still valid, pale so drastically in comparison to what marginalised womxn experience, and what womxn experience globally. But I’d say the basic lack of protective legislation and of fundamental human rights globally is the biggest problem womxn face, for sure.

Big thanks to Gina for sharing her experiences with us this International Women’s Day. Can’t wait to see what she gets up to next on @ginamartinuk!

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Just your typical girl loving haircare, fashion, pizza and travelling. Luckily that means I'm always on the look out for the latest trends and styles to switch things up, which I can share with you GG girls!